As we approach a new year, I look back on the past and forward to the promise of the future. I reflect on the life I once enjoyed with my husband, which is so different from the life I am now creating for myself. Yet, each has its unique challenges, joys, and direction. I found myself sorting through a collection of greeting cards I’d designed many years ago. This one, created circa 1988, spoke to me this year. I had…
As the holiday season begins, I am reminded of the importance of focusing on gratitude and the positivity that being thankful brings. Although this season sometimes reminds me of the things I no longer have, focusing on hope, optimism, and gratitude is an emotional antidote to the sadness of longing for the past. I created this piece years ago after my husband’s diagnosis. We found ourselves in a lush field of sunflowers under a blue summer sky. I felt fragile…
I designed this larger canvas some years ago after my husband’s cancer diagnosis. I drew inspiration from my original piece, “Believe,” which I had created at least 30 years earlier. If I were to assign a logo representing my life philosophy, the original “Believe” would be it. I published a post about the original piece in June 2024. It makes sense that I would turn to it for inspiration during such a difficult time. Finding a way to believe in hope, possibility, and…
The background of this canvas, painted in blotchy shades of blue, tells how I felt as I cut and stitched a heart from a grey felt. It was a day when I had to dig deep to believe in hope and possibility. My collection of colorful gems and crystals glittering from their storage jars on a shelf in my studio inspired me. This piece represented looking beyond the bleakness I felt to the treasure trove of inner peace and inspiration…
“True north is guidance, your orienting point, your fixed point in a spinning world that helps you stay on track. It’s your internal compass unique to you and only you, representing who you are at your deepest level. True north is a sense of being at home within yourself. What feels good to you at your core is your true north. When you find your true north, you discover your authentic self. It’s a combination of your purpose and your beliefs. You…
I’ve never readily embraced change. Admittedly, some changes are more difficult than others. Though I’d faced loss before, my husband’s death transformed my life in ways I never could have predicted. As a teacher, autumn meant gearing up for a new school year. No matter how long I taught, each year I approached the first day of school with anxiety and a touch of panic. And yet, by the time the first day was half over, I wondered what all…
Even though I don’t follow a specific religion, I have always been intrigued by the concept of faith. I have encouraged myself to believe in the positive energy available if we are open to it. During my husband’s illness, we held onto the idea of taith, hoping for strength and healing. After he died, I made a deliberate effort to discover and nurture the remaining spark of life within myself, which gravitates towards healing, whether we are conscious of it…
Liminal space is a gap or threshold between one thing ending and the beginning of another. While grieving my husband’s death, I initially found these seemingly empty periods disconcerting. I perceived myself as stalled or stuck, often facing the question of “What’s next?” with no answer in sight. However, with time, I saw these dormant periods as fertile ground for insight and change. The key was accepting the stillness and being patient with myself as I anticipated the next change….
Last week, while reorganizing the closet in my art studio, I found several boxes of greeting cards. One box contained every card my husband had sent me, and the other had every card I had sent him. We used to send each other many cards, and it made me realize how much I miss that connection we shared. Part of me wanted to keep every card, but another part knew that reorganizing was supposed to help me move forward with…
It has been essential for me to recognize and allow the uncomfortable and painful emotions triggered by grief. During therapy, we frequently discussed the challenge of acknowledging these emotions while striving to balance them with positives. I found this practice reassuring, whether grappling with sorrow, anger, or fear. I would state aloud what I felt and whatever positive emotion or quality I could pair with it.Some examples are:“I feel sad AND hopeful.” “I feel angry AND compassionate.”“I am afraid AND…